"Let's continue training."
"Gah…"
Rice Shower was limp, still recovering from the mixed juice overload. I dragged her into the changing room, determined to keep the momentum going.
We both changed into our gym clothes. Rice wore standard shorts-style gear, while I opted for bloomers—not because I preferred them, but because they were cheaper. Rice looked like a refined young lady, so I doubted price was a factor in her choice. I never asked, though.
Today's target: the newly built slope course.
If I remember correctly, the Miho and Ritto dorms were separate, with Ritto pioneering slope training. But here at Tracen Academy, Miho and Ritto are unified, and anyone can use the latest facilities. The slope course, equipped with cutting-edge tech, was surprisingly empty—probably because it was still unfamiliar to most.
"It's a slope course," I explained.
"Modern training," I continued. "Less impact on the legs thanks to the incline, but it still builds strength. Plus, the ground's soft."
"Oh..." Rice murmured, half-impressed, half-exhausted.
We arrived at the entrance. A long, straight slope stretched ahead.
"Alright, one horse length! Start!"
At my signal, we began running side by side—or at least, that was the plan.
I'm a horse girl too, after all. I wanted to prove myself.
But reality hit hard.
Rice Shower surged ahead instantly. I wasn't just behind—I was left in the dust. The slope was brutal. My pace was sluggish, the strain immense. How was Rice running so effortlessly on this monster of a course?
By the time I reached the top, Rice had already finished and was waiting.
"Ha… Hah…"
"Viola, are you okay?"
"I'm…ha.. Okay…"
Stopping would only make it worse, so I forced my legs to keep moving, staggering down the side path to recover. It took a quite a while to catch my breath.
I thought I was done for.
"You're going to run two more, right?"
"Hah… two…?"
Rice smiled sweetly.
One run nearly killed me. Two more? Was this payback for the juice?
But I was the one who said we'd do three runs. Rice was motivated. I couldn't back down.
"Hah… Ha…"
"That was a nice load," Rice said, satisfied.
For her, maybe. For me? I was practically dead. I collapsed, utterly drained.
I'd underestimated the gap between us—her stamina, her experience, her age. Compared to Rice Shower, I was a sluggish little slug. And slugs don't survive slope courses.
In the end, my legs were so wobbly that Rice had to carry me back.